Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1887-01-28
HARMLESS THIEVES.
American Plutocrats Who Appropriate the
Coats-of-Ar of English Nobility.

American Plutocrats Who Appropriate the
Coats-of- Arms OF English Nobility.
II is not generally known. but II 10
nevertheless fact that every large |
carriage manufacturing establishment
IL :his country has library. The
works of only two authors are in this
library, and these are the productions
of Mr.. Burke and Mr.. Lodge. Burke's
''Peerage and Baronetage," Lodges
book of the same title, and Burke's
General Armoryn are all that are
peeded, but they are Indispensable.
A man on whom fortune has smiled
is having carriage built. 1t is to be
heavy numbering affair, and guaran-
feed to have look of ancient respect
ability about il before it comes out of
the shop. Now he, sensible man, had
intended to have his cipher ON the
panels. but the ladies OF the family are
more ambitious and keep at him until,
in moment of weakness, he consents
TO decorate his family carriage with
coat-of-arms. The next question is
how to get one. Heretofore he and his
ancestors have struggled along with
ont armorial bearings and never espec-
iallv felt the need of them. But now
things are changed. If he lived in
Brazil he would endow hospital, and
the Emperor would make him baron
with coat-of-arms of great complexi-
ty. IL he were an Englishman, he
might do n hundred things less expen-
sive and get pedigree and coat-of-
arms from the College of Heralds and
write Sir before his name. But being
an American, there Is no way for him
to get a coat-of-arms except to steal
It. and so the respectable old gentle
man is driven to the first theft of his
life. The New York College of Her
aldry being no longer in existence, he
} confdes in the carriage manufacturer.
! The carriage man brings out his
library and in the seclusion of his pri-
, waite Office the coat-of-arms OF some
more or less noble lord is APP
propriated, to be subsequently
transferred to tho rich mans
} family coach. These people are rather
= particular about their arms when they
= once get started in the selection. Say,
for instance, that the man who wants
q a coat-of-arms is named Smith The
y, carriage man opens his heraldric record
and reads: "Smth, Edward Augustus
!, Patrick Peter, First Baronet OF Mud
> towne, County Kerry, ireland. :" mo,
n no." saws the rich man. "Our family
are English by descent"
A few more pages are turned oyei
and then under a menagerie of herald
: rio animals the carriage manufacturer
reads: "Billingsgate, Marquis Of
(Smith-Fitz PlantageneD. james Au
: gustus Douglas George, Marquis anC
! Earl, Baron Smith, of County of York
y 1.-THE Marquis assumed in 1876 by roya
license the additional surname of Fit,
Plantagenet for himself and his issue
and auartered the Plantagenct arm'
d with his own"
"Ahl that must be the one, says th'
" seeker after coat-of-arms. "a have
: heard that our family came from York
= shire"
. And so the arms Of the Marquis o
h Billingsgate blaze on the panels of thu
"a new carriage when ii rolls along thu
4 avenue.
= Appropriations of coaIs-of-arms woulC
make themselves less absurd i
n they would read n rudimentary bool
- on heraldry before they made the ap
!, preparation. For instance. Mr.. Smith
II In appropriating the coat-of-arms o
IL the Most Honorable the Marquis o
Billingsgate, takes not only the arm
of Smith, but the arms OF Filz Planta
genet and likewise the supporter
which can only be used by Peer o
the Realm. lie surmounts the who'll
70 with the cap and coronet Of u Marquis
ID and any one yersed in such matter
}. would suppose that Peer was ridin:
Is in the carriage instead of plain Mr.
Smith. Now, II Mr. Smith did reall.
4. belong to the family Of the Marquis, q
|. he did not, he wonld be entitled onl.
,r to the arms of Smith, without the coro
e net the supporters or the motto.-l
II T. Tribune.